


Wilderness

by calapine



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (1963)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-07
Updated: 2020-04-08
Packaged: 2021-03-01 22:41:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 15,159
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23524771
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/calapine/pseuds/calapine
Summary: A mission for the Time Lords in the Scottish Highlands leads the Doctor and Jamie into an unconventional family feud.
Relationships: Second Doctor & Jamie McCrimmon
Comments: 1
Kudos: 7





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted in 2004.

“So that was you, eh?” asked Jamie, grinning at the Doctor from the other side of the console. The Time Lord’s hands moved confidently across the instruments and within moments the TARDIS was in flight.

“So it would seem,” replied the Doctor, glancing at his young companion.

“Looks like you put on a bit of weight in your old age.”

“And gained worse dress sense than fancy pants,” muttered the Doctor, before looking up at Jamie. “Well, at least he had the good sense not to go wandering around Seville in a kilt.”

“Now that wasnae exactly my fault, ye never told me where ye were takin us. And anyway, ye were the one we were havin to chase.”

“Yes, well, that wasn’t exactly my fault now, was it?” replied the Doctor, collapsing into one of the armchairs that Jamie had decided to drag into the console room.

He looked exhausted, and Jamie wasn’t surprised in spite of their recent excursion to Seville. Ever since the Doctor’s sentence had been suspended by the intervention of the CIA they had been sent to world after world, without even a brief respite. And now they were sent with instructions to interfere, rather than just blundering in. Jamie knew which way he preferred, and the Doctor would undoubtedly agree.

“I dinnae suppose...”

“Jamie,” interrupted the Doctor, his eyes fixed on the time rotor. “We’ve landed.”

“Already! I thought you said they were gonnae give us a break.”

“Well, that is what they said, Jamie. Let’s take a look outside, shall we? Perhaps we’ll be pleasantly surprised.”

“Aye, right,” muttered his companion.

+++

The Doctor and Jamie stepped out of the TARDIS and into a light evening mist. The sun peeked out at them from between mountains whose summits were hidden in low cloud. The ship was nestled into a gentle hillside of uncut grass. A sharp breeze tugged at Jamie’s kilt and he could the smell the scent of heather in the cool air.

“Bracing, isn’t it?” said the Doctor, taking a deep breath and thrusting his hands into the pockets of his coat.

“Aye, Doctor, it’s home,” Jamie told him.

“Home?”

“This is Scotland, Doctor,” Jamie said with perfect confidence.

The Doctor regarded his companion with a slight frown, and said, “there’s no way you could know that, Jamie. The Time Lords could have materialised us anywhere.”

“But they didnae, they put us down in the highlands.” He caught the frown on the Doctor’s face, and said, “I know I’m right, Doctor.”

“Yes, well, let’s not argue about that. It’s a splendid evening and I think a walk would do us both good.”

And with that the Doctor began to make his way up the hill, turning around occasionally to take in the view. Jamie kept up with him effortlessly, though the boy was a great deal more cautious, and as they reached the hill’s summit, Jamie insisted on going first.

“Just in case, Doctor, there could be Redcoats about,” he said when the Doctor began to object.

The Time Lord shook his head, and said, “Even if we are in Scotland, Jamie, there’s no evidence of what century it is.” Despite his words, he still kept his voice low.

He watched as Jamie moved slowly, and silently, through the grass, keeping his body low and one hand on his dirk. “Safe enough, Doctor!” he called after a moment.

When the Doctor joined him, he put one arm around his young friend’s shoulders, the other arm vaguely indicating the scene before him.

“If only we had a camera,” said the Doctor with a grin. “We never seem to take any holiday snaps.”

“Oh, aye, I remember cameras...don’t you have one in the TARDIS? We could go back.”

“I do have a very nice set up from...”

But the companionable moment was interrupted when the silence was shattered. It took a moment for Jamie to interpret the piercing sound as a scream.

The Doctor and Jamie spun round: there was nothing incongruous on the other side of the hill. A gentle slope downwards, before a small loch and a strip of forest.

The sound echoed around them. And the Doctor stepped forward, his eyes searching the hillside.

“Can you see anything?” he asked Jamie, who shook his head.

“It came from down there,” he said, pointing down the hill, towards the loch.

“Come on then,” said the Doctor. “We have to find them.”

“Wait,” said Jamie, holding the Doctor back. He nodded in the direction of the sun. “It’s going down fair quickly, Doctor, and the mist’s picking up. It’ll come down on us fast and without any light ye’ll be lost in nae time.”

“Then I shall trust your Highlander instincts to get us back to the TARDIS,” the Doctor told him matter of factly, “but someone is in trouble and we have to find them.”

“Aye, right then,” said Jamie as he followed the Doctor down the hill, guessing that the Doctor was teasing him, but despite that he couldn’t help but feel he smallest swell of pride; he would be able to find his way back to the TARDIS, this was his country, after all, and he hadn’t spent years running from the Redcoats without knowing how to find his way around in the dark. Though he doubted that the Doctor possessed his unerring sense of direction.

They reached the stony beach of the loch without hearing another sound. And Jamie was beginning to find the lack of wildlife a little disturbing; it felt unnatural to him. No birds, nor deer, nor rustling of snakes in the grass. He almost felt as though he had imagined the scream. Still, the Doctor seemed intent on his search, his eyes never stopped moving and his face was a frown of concentration.

“I cannae see anyone, Doctor,” Jamie hissed, afraid that too loud a voice would distract the Doctor. The other man held up his hand, and though Jamie could hear nothing, he waited patiently.

“This way,” said the Doctor eventually, indicating the route along the rocky beach that would take them towards the forest. He started to move much more quickly and Jamie followed. Their feet clattered against the slippery rocks, though both kept their balance easily. The only other sound was the gentle lapping of water against the shore.

Within minutes, the Doctor’s silence caused Jamie’s mind to wander back to the last time he had been home. The last time he had run like this, through a glen with mist coming down around him, and hoping it would be fast and thick enough to shield him from the sight of the Redcoats hunting him. And as the moments past he became more and more sure that this was Scotland. Whether or not the Doctor believed him, he knew that he could recognise his own country. And he hoped that when they found the source of the scream, they wouldn’t have to leave straight away.

When he looked up again, the Doctor was some way ahead, and he shook his head in disbelief at how fast the little man could move when he wanted to. Jamie picked up his pace, tempted to call out to his friend, but the Doctor had implied that shouting wasn’t a good idea.

Jamie had become so used to the silence that the second scream was more of a surprise than the first. His head jerked up, just as his foot landed heavily on a loose stone. It gave way beneath him, and he fell onto the beach, his head landing just by the water’s edge. Blackness swam in front of his eyes, but it seemed to last only a moment before he felt the jagged edges of rocks digging into his back. He let out a groan of pain, but save for a throbbing head, he felt uninjured.

By the time he had regained his senses the mist had closed in. He couldn’t see more than a few feet in front of him, and the Doctor, of course, had vanished from sight. Still, he knew what direction he had been headed. Holding his dirk loosely in his right hand, he followed the water’s edge round to the forest, listening carefully for any sound beyond the gentle lap of water.

Jamie was still blinded when he heard a voice in the mist. “Jamie! Jamie, is that you?” it called. He must have been louder than he thought with a hint of embarrassment, but that was the Doctor’s voice all right, and he was relieved to hear it.

“Aye, Doctor, I’m right here!” he called back. “But a cannae see ye!”

“Follow the sound of my voice, I’m not too far away from the water’s edge...”

Jamie made his way up the rocks and onto the long grass, still he could see not better.

“Doctor!” he called. And a hand landed on his shoulder.

Jamie spun round, dirk held high.

“Do be careful,” said the Doctor indignantly. “Now come along, I need your help.”

Jamie briefly wondered how far the Doctor was intending for them to walk, but it was, in fact, only a few steps before he indicated that he should stop. “Your jacket, Jamie,” he said, holding out a hand. Momentarily confused, it took Jamie a second to notice the small bundle on the grass, covered by the Doctor’s own coat.

He handed the Doctor his jacket and crouched down beside him as he began to tear it into strips. It was a child huddled under the Doctor’s coat, a boy of perhaps twelve years with a round face and dark brown hair. His eyes were closed, but Jamie could see he was taking shallow breaths.

“What happened?” he asked.

The Doctor shook his head, and said, “I’m not sure, Jamie. He’s bleeding very badly; there are claw marks on his arms and chest. And I don’t know whether it would be safe to move him or not...but if he stays here he’s most likely to die of hypothermia. I would guess the scream we heard belonged to him.” He took the strips and carefully began to bandage one of the boy’s arms.

“So what do we do?”

“Keep him warm, stop the bleeding. There are medical supplies in the TARDIS...but I’m not sure I can find the way back.”

“I can.”

The Doctor looked up at him, his expression serious. “Are you sure?”

“Aye, Doctor, I’m sure.”

“All right...” The Doctor paused and looked up. Jamie followed his gaze to see that the mist had lifted slightly. He could make out the nearby trees now. And he could see a shape moving amongst them, coming towards them. Dark and hulking, Jamie saw that it was watching them. The beast stopped, some distance away and let out a piercing howl.

It walked towards them almost lazily, until it was close enough for Jamie to make out its yellow eyes.

Only a few yards from them now, it opened its mouth, baring sharp teeth and let out a long growl.

“Jamie, when I say run...” the Doctor whispered to him.

“No, Doctor. I’m no leavin ye to face that monster alone.”

“Don’t be stupid,” the Doctor hissed, his hand on Jamie’s arm. He could feel the boy tensing, ready to run at the animal. “Jamie, you must get back to the TARDIS.”

“And am no leavin the bairn either,” his young companion insisted.

“Jamie...!” the Doctor began his voice rising slightly. But the next moment, he pushed Jamie to the ground, as the beast leapt towards them.


	2. Chapter 2

As Jamie struggled to push the Doctor away from him, he expected to feel sharp teeth in his flesh at any moment. The Time Lord was a great deal stronger than he looked, but Jamie still had a grip on his dirk. He could defend himself, if he only he could see where the beast was.

The next sound he heard was a gunshot.

No musket he had ever heard sounded quite like that. It was much more similar to the noise from the firearms he had seen the Brigadier’s men use when they had fought off the Cyberman invasion of Earth.

Jamie rolled away from the Doctor and jumped to his feet. The beast was retreating into the forest, no longer a threat to any of them. He turned his attention to finding the source of the gunshot.

“Over there, Jamie,” he heard the Doctor say in his ear as the Time Lord pointed towards a thick gorse bush growing some way from the water’s edge. Half-hidden there was the silhouette of a man. Tall and lean, and holding the sleek weapon by his side.

“Ye dinnae think he’s gonna shoot that thing at us then?” Jamie whispered back.

“I very much doubt it, Jamie.”

The figure waved at them and the Doctor shot a grin at Jamie and waved back. “With luck he’ll have some transport,” the Doctor said. “And we can get this boy to a hospital.” The Doctor waved again, and shouted, “There’s an injured boy down here!”

The man picked up his pace, jogging quickly down the hill, the firearm slung over a shoulder. Jamie could see him more clearly now, dark, swept-back hair, greying at the temples, hard features but the look on his face was not unfriendly.

His eyes swept over Jamie and the Doctor and focussed on the child. “How badly is he injured?” asked the man.

“I’m not sure,” replied the Doctor. “He’s lost a lot of blood. We need to get him to a hospital.”

The man nodded. “There’s a doctor back at the house.” He looked up at the forest. “We’d better leave in case it comes back. I don’t think it’ll be quite so easy to scare off again.”

“Why don’t you just shoot the beast then?” asked Jamie.

The man scowled. “There’s no need for that...my van’s not too far, it’d be safer if you came with me.” He picked up the boy easily, gently holding him in his arms. “Come on.”

Presently, the Doctor and Jamie found themselves encountering their first evidence of civilisation, save for their timely rescuer. A long moss-ridden dyke stretched across the grass, broken only by a gate. Beyond it, Jamie could see a handful of sheep grazing peacefully. He felt surprised at how relieved he was to see some familiar wildlife.

“Is that your farm, then?” he asked the man.

“Not mine. But yes, I work there. You were lucky; I don’t often go beyond the boundaries in this direction. But...” he shook his head and glanced down at the boy. “Would you mind opening the gate?” he asked the Doctor.

The Doctor did so, and as they passed into the field Jamie felt his spirits rising. Somehow, just the presence of the sheep made this place seem so much more welcoming than the silent wilderness beyond.

“There’s the van,” their companion said nodding towards a scruffy looking four-wheeled vehicle sitting in a gully. There were two bales in the back and the metal flooring was covered with straw. Both the driver’s cab and the back were open air, though rolls of fabric tied to the framework of the cab were visible.

The man laid the boy gently in the back and the Doctor leapt in with him, once again checking his breathing and pulse. Jamie sat in the passenger’s seat.

“Right. Hang on, this could get a little bumpy,” the man told them as he started the engine. This, Jamie thought, was something of an understatement as the van rocked and bounced across the field crushing overgrown thistles and sending stones flying.

“Do be careful!” snapped the Doctor. “This boy is severely injured.”

“I’m aware of that,” the man said calmly. “But it’ll be better for him to get back to the house quickly rather than suffer a few less bruises.”

“And ye do have a doctor at this hoose?” asked Jamie, and the man nodded. There was a moment’s silence and Jamie’s eye was caught by the sight of a rabbit running for cover as the van approached, before the highlander said, “Ye have no even told us who ye are yet.”

The man glanced at him and for an instant Jamie thought he saw embarrassment on his face. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I’ve been looking for George for hours, and...” He shook his head threw a glance back at the boy. “I’m Paul Burns.”

“Aye, well, I’m Jamie and this is the Doctor.”

“Doctor?”

“Ah, not of medicine, I’m afraid,” said the Doctor apologetically. “And George seems to be doing fine; breathing and pulse are still steady.” Jamie glanced behind him to see the Doctor crouched in the back, supporting the boy’s head with one hand and keeping his body steady with the other. The bales of straw shielded them both from the worst of the wind.

Paul nodded. “Well, that’s something. I didn’t think we were even going to find him.”

“What was that monster that attacked him anyway?” asked Jamie.

“A wolf,” he replied shortly. “I’m afraid there have been a number of attacks in the last few weeks. Started at the village a few miles down the road, but the villagers soon started to get violent. It’s been looking for more vulnerable victims since.”

“Wolves? But there’s nae wolves in Scotland.”

A smile quirked at Paul’s lips, he said, “You seem quite enthusiastic about the native dress, but have you been here long?”

“I’m a McCrimmon,” said Jamie indignantly. “I was born in Scotland.”

“I think, Jamie, that Mr Burns is talking about the reintroduction of wolves to the wild,” the Doctor told his companion. “But they don’t normally attack humans, surely?” he asked Paul.

“As rare as getting struck by lightening,” muttered Paul, before saying, “Something stirred them up, I suppose.”

“You don’t sound very convinced,” the Doctor said.

“I’m not. Wolves are afraid of humans most of the time. And this...these attacks, they make no sense.”

“I remember my grandfather talking aboot wolves,” said Jamie. “He used tae hunt them, helped to wipe them out, so he said. Vicious, evil creatures, he said they were.”

“Rubbish,” said Paul. “I’ve been living here since they were reintroduced and I’ve never heard of them attacking a human, until now anyway.”

“You don’t think it was a wolf,” said the Doctor.

“What else could it be?” Paul asked him. “There are no other large predators in this country.”

Presently, they arrived at a narrow road cutting across the grass. Cracked and worn, with weeds poking out, it still made for a smoother journey than the fields. The sun had sunk beneath the horizon and, though the mist had almost lifted, Jamie could barely make out his hands in front of him. Even when Paul switched on the headlights, the light seemed to be swallowed by the darkness almost as soon as it was cast out.

“We should be there in a few minutes,” their driver told them.

Jamie felt like they were going downhill, winding round and round but going ever lower. Soon there was another sound playing against the sound of the engine. It took Jamie a moment to recognise it as the sound of waves crashing against the shoreline.

“We’re by the sea!” he exclaimed.

“That’s right,” Paul told him. “In fact, the house looks out across it. You’ll see a fine view in the morning.”

“Aye, I can see the place now,” said Jamie, pointing, and just able to make out a sprawling bungalow a short distance ahead of them. Its silhouette against the sky showing him that though it possessed a single floor, that floor extended over some distance.

The engine stopped and Jamie saw that they had reached another dyke, though the gate in this one was a simple wooden one, and he could make out the gravel path beyond.

The Doctor picked up George. “He still seems quite stable,” he told Paul. The other man nodded and opened the gate. They went through and followed the path to the front door. The porch light came on as they approached and voices could be heard from within the house.

They entered a square hall, with high doors and open passageways all round, to see a young woman with long dark hair and a boy no older than seventeen talking. As they fell silent and turned to the party, the woman brought a hand to her mouth to stifle a cry of shock.

“George,” whispered the boy.

“Don’t stand around gawking,” snapped Paul. “Katie, fetch Doctor Hamilton. Robert, find your mother.”

The girl, Katie, glanced once more at Jamie before she left by an open door on the far side of the room, whilst Robert exited through a passage near the door.

“Please, follow me,” Paul said to the Doctor as they took another passage, stopping at the first door. Paul pushed it open and they followed him inside to find a simple bedroom with an open fireplace. The Doctor laid George gently on the bed and Paul ushered them out, saying, “A doctor will be here in a few minutes. Please, if you could wait in the foyer, I won’t be a moment.”

The Doctor and Jamie did as they were bidden. The Doctor paced the foyer slowly, his attention occasionally distracted by the paintings displayed on the walls. Jamie watched the window, listened to the wind, the noise it made as it shrieked past the imperfectly sealed frames.

The Doctor had been wool gathering for some few minutes when Jamie spoke, “Did something about that no seem a bit funny to you?”

The Time Lord glanced up, one hand rubbing his chin briefly. “Yes, well, I don’t suppose they want strangers around whilst the boy’s being treated.”

“Aye, but...” Jamie hesitated as he glanced at the open passageways before moving closer to the Doctor and lowering his voice. “But he didnae seem too concerned about the lad.”

“That’s because he expects him to survive.”

“”But he was half deid when we found him!”

“Yes,” said the Doctor with a nod, before lowering his own voice. “But by the time we arrived here, those wounds had started to heal. His pulse and breathing were stronger. At that rate he’ll have recovered in a matter of hours.”

“But that’s nae possible!”

“Not for a human,” agreed the Doctor.

“You think he’s an alien?”

“Possibly. But we should...” he cut of abruptly as he heard footsteps approach.

The woman who stepped into the room was tall and slender, but her face was pale, her eyes shadowed and her long hair hung untidily around her shoulders. Still her face lit up as she smiled at them.

“You must be the Doctor and Jamie,” she said, stepping towards them and shaking their hands warmly. “My name’s Vanya. I can’t thank you enough for saving my son. Please, join us as our guests for dinner, and you are welcome to stay for the night. It’s the very least I can do for you. Paul tells me that that the temperature has dropped quite significantly and the wind has picked up. He believes a storm to be coming.”

“Aye, it looks that way,” commented Jamie.

“And we would be delighted to stay,” said the Doctor, smiling. “Wouldn’t we Jamie?...Jamie?”

“Och, aye, that would be great.”

“Wonderful. Katie!” A moment later the young woman with dark hair appeared. “Please take our guests to their rooms. The ones in the west wing are free and should be suitable,” she told the girl, before nodding to the Doctor and Jamie. “Dinner is at eight. I’ll see you then.”

Presently the Doctor and Jamie arrived at their rooms and thanked Katie. She left without another word and Jamie watched her go.

“She seems a fair shy lassie,” he commented.

“Well, why don’t you freshen up, Jamie?” the Doctor said ignoring his observation and nodding to one of the rooms. “I’ve a few things to think about.”

“Such as?”

“Now, Jamie, there is a time and place for questions,” the Doctor told him.

“Are you actually going into that room or are ye going tae hav a wee snoop about?”

“Jamie, this could be terribly dangerous. For once, just do as you’re told. I’ll see you at dinner,” said the Doctor firmly, before opening the door to Jamie’s room. “And do be careful.”

“All right, Doctor. But if yer not back...”

“Don’t worry about me,” said his friend, practically pushing him into the room and shutting the door behind him.

Jamie sat down on the bed, tempted for a moment to completely disregard the Doctor’s instructions and go after him. But he, at least, didn’t see anything menacing here and felt that the Doctor would not be in any danger.

Instead, he opened the window and let the wind, heavy with the scent of salt and heather, permeate the room. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply, the scent stirring old memories within him.

It was a few minutes before he slumped onto the bed and lay back, realising how tired he actually felt. He considered trying to get some sleep, but thought better of it; instead he stood up and used the sink in the corner to wash his hands and face, the warm water soothing his skin. He took a towel and dried his face, glancing in the mirror.

And realised someone was standing behind him.

“No, don’t turn around,” said a familiar voice as he watched the figure step closer and felt slender fingers on his shoulders. Still he couldn’t believe what he was seeing, he knew those elfin features and he knew that they couldn’t be here. They couldn’t.

“Don’t look so afraid, Jamie. It’s me. It’s Zoe.”


	3. Chapter 3

Jamie tried to turn around but the gentle pressure of her hands on his shoulders stopped him.

“Please, Jamie, don’t. I can’t stay long but there’s so much I have to tell you.”

The young highlander ignored her protests and turned to face her. He took her hand gently, staring into her dark eyes. It was Zoe.

“I dinnae understand,” he said with a shake of his head. “The Doctor and I...” he trailed off. What was he supposed to say? That the Doctor had abandoned her? That the Doctor had chosen him over her?

“Oh, Jamie. It doesn’t matter. Right now all that matters is that you’re in danger,” she told him.

“What kinda danger? The folks here seem friendly enough.”

“It’s the Doctor, Jamie,” said Zoe. “He’s not telling you everything, and he should. Oh, he should, but he thinks he knows best.”

Jamie nodded. That was true enough, but he trusted the Doctor.

“But how did you get here?” asked Jamie, recalling with some pain the memories of what had happened on the Doctor’s home planet.

“I was sent Jamie, like you. But you can’t let the Doctor know I’m here, you simply can’t,” said Zoe sounding so worried that Jamie instantly agreed. She smiled then and they fell together in a hug. Jamie closed his eyes, realising how much he had missed her.

It has seemed like only moments had passed since from when he had said goodbye to the Doctor to finding himself back in the highlands of Scotland. He remembered his momentary confusion before he sighted a Redcoat and wrestled the unfortunate man to the ground. And he remembered not knowing - for those few minutes he had no memory of any of his travels in the TARDIS.

As he had stood over the body of his vanquished foe, the TARDIS had appeared and the Doctor had stepped out, though at the time Jamie had no idea who he was and had taken him for demon of some sort. It took only a second for the Doctor to point the strange instrument he was holding at Jamie, and activate it.

The next thing Jamie recalled was waking in the TARDIS, his memory restored. He was lying on the bed in his room, and the Doctor was nowhere to be seen. Nothing seemed to be amiss there, though he had something of a headache, and his memories...his brow furrowed as he tried to piece together the last few hours. Glimpses of faces appeared behind his eyes, a few disconnected words, but it didn’t make sense. The last thing he clearly remembered was saying goodbye to the Doctor. And now he was here, back on the TARDIS.

Jamie had found his way to the console room easily enough and had been relieved to see the familiar sight of the Doctor leaning over the console.

“Doctor?”

The Time Lord’s head had jerked up, the expression on his face had been caught somewhere between sadness and relief.

“Jamie. I didn’t think you’d be awake for hours. Come on, sit down,” the Doctor had said, guiding his friend to one of the chairs. “You must feel exhausted.”

“Just a bit of a headache,” Jamie had told him. “Did we get away from them then? Where’s Zoe?”

“Ah, yes, well, let’s see about getting you something to eat first, shall we?”

“Doctor, what’s going on? Are we free?”

The Time Lord had turned back to him, hands in his pockets. “No, Jamie, we’re not free.”

“But the TARDIS!”

The Doctor had taken a deep breath, and sat down beside his young friend. There had been a weariness about him that Jamie had not seen before. The creases around his eyes had deepened, his shoulders seeming to sag, making him seem even smaller than he actually was. He had placed his clasped hands on the armrest of the chair.

“The TARDIS is under the control of the Time Lords, Jamie. Or I should say, a certain group of Time Lords.” The Doctor had paused and Jamie very nearly asked one of the obvious questions that was on the tip of his tongue. But the Doctor looking so tired, so very...defeated. Yes, that was it. Something about his acceptance that he had finally lost made Jamie stay quiet and patiently wait for the Doctor to continue.

“Once they had taken you and Zoe away they had decided to force me to regenerate,” and the Doctor had held up his hand as Jamie finally started to speak, saying, “I’ll explain about regeneration later, Jamie. What is important is that they were planning to exile me to Earth, but I was snatched from the Vortex by a group called the Celestial Intervention Agency. You see, Jamie, my people will not involve themselves officially in the affairs of anyone in the universe.”

“And this group is a bit unofficial then?”

“That’s right. They tend to interfere discreetly and for the most part are answerable only to the President. Though even he doesn’t always know what they’re doing.”

“I bet he doesnae know about you.”

“Probably not, Jamie,” the Doctor conceded. “But the Coordinator of the agency offered me a deal. If I worked for them, they would give me back my TARDIS, and some limited freedom.”

“I take it you agreed,” said Jamie, and he couldn’t help but sound a little accusatory.

“I had no choice!” exclaimed the Doctor. “It was this or being stuck in one world! In one time!” He had slumped back in the chair then, putting his head in his hands. “This way I have a chance to escape. A chance. I couldn’t just give up.”

“I’m sorry, Doctor,” said Jamie quietly.

“That’s all right,” said the Doctor, standing up. “We should be receiving our first co-ordinates any time now.”

“Just coordinates?”

“Ah, yes, I’m afraid so. Not the most helpful lot, the CIA. I rather fancy they’ll just pick a trouble spot and dump us there. Watch to see if we sink or swim.”

“But I cannae swim, Doctor!”

“Yes, well, don’t worry, Jamie. It’s just a metaphor.”

“So how come I’m here?” Jamie had asked suddenly.

“Ah,” and the Doctor had fixed his eyes on the console. “Well, that was the first thing I did once they let me go. I went back to Culloden to pick you up.”

“So are we going to get, Zoe then?”

“No, Jamie, we’re not.”

“What! Why? You cannae just leave her!”

“I have to, Jamie. They didn’t want to let me have either of you back,” said the Doctor. “You were a distraction; a reminder of what could go wrong. But I managed to persuade them...”

“To let you have one of us,” finished Jamie.

The Doctor nodded miserably. “And there’s something else you should know.”

“Go on,” said Jamie quietly.

“Do you remember what you felt like when you first arrived back on Earth?”

“Aye, there was something wrong with my memory. It didnae feel too good when I woke up just now either.”

“You’ll feel fine in a few hours. But, Jamie, the Time Lords erased your memory of me once, and...and they want to do it again. When this is over, they want to take it away and put you back in Culloden again.”

Jamie was silent for a moment. Since he had met the Doctor he had led a more fantastic life than he could ever have imagined. All these experiences, all this knowledge, so many friendships and tragedies and hopes and nightmares leapt at him now from his adventures, and his hand gripped the chair tightly at the realisation he would lose it all. This was him, after all, this was who Jamie Robert McCrimmon was now and it was so much more than the piper for his clan, and losing that, he would lose himself.

“Doctor...” and his voice cracked.

“You don’t have to do this,” his friend told him. “You can go back now. But I had to tell you the truth, Jamie. I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry.”

He didn’t speak for a few minutes; instead watching as the Doctor fiddled with the console, pretending nothing was amiss.

“I’ll come with you, Doctor,” Jamie told him finally.

“Are you sure?”

“Aye,” he said smiling. “After all, you needed someone to watch your back.”

He’d thought about Zoe a few times since then, but never mentioned her to the Doctor again. He had certainly never brought the subject.

And now, here she was, standing in front of him, the same as ever.

“What’s going on, Zoe?” he asked her again. “How did you get here?”

The knock at the door caught them both by surprise. Jamie and Zoe exchanged a glance and as he moved to block of the door she ducked down behind the bed.

“Jamie! Jamie, are you ready? Mr Burns has just told me that dinner is going to be served shortly,” came the Doctor’s distinctive voice.

“Just a minute Doctor!” Jamie called back. “I’ll be back as soon as I can,” he whispered to Zoe.

“Be careful,” she whispered back.

When Jamie and the Doctor arrived at the dining room, it appeared to be almost full. A dark wooden table dominated the long room. A simple chandelier hung above the table, unlit, though there were several lit candles on the table itself. Portraits of men and women hung around the room, staring down at the diners and Jamie felt vaguely uneasy.

Vanya, sitting at the head of the table, looked up as they entered and smiled. “Doctor, Jamie, I hope you are feeling refreshed. Please, take a seat,” she said and indicated the two empty chairs closest to her on her right.

They nodded their thanks and sat down. Whatever it was that was cooking smelt delicious to Jamie. He hadn’t eaten for hours. It wasn’t something that the Doctor made a lot of time for; especially since he was of the opinion that one meal a day was sufficient nourishment.

“I hope your son is doing well,” said the Doctor.

“He’s much better, thank you,” replied Vanya. “Doctor Hamilton is of the opinion that he is in no danger if he is allowed sufficient rest.” As she spoke she glanced down the table at a woman with dark hair, severely pulled back. Hawkish features and sharp eyes looked back.

“It’s a good job you found him when you did,” Doctor Hamilton told them.

“What was he doing all by himself so far away anyway?” asked Jamie suddenly.

“Now, Jamie...” the Doctor began.

“It’s quite alright,” said Vanya. “My son was quite distressed when he left the house this morning, a family argument, I’m afraid. Ah, dinner at last.”

Jamie followed her look and saw that the door at the far end of the room had opened. Katie and another man that Jamie did not recognise carried covered dishes and placed them on the table. As they uncovered them Jamie saw that a few contained sliced beef, but most had a variety of vegetables.

“I don’t think you’ve met my cook, Steven Inglis,” said Vanya.

Once Steven and Katie had finished placing the food they sat down at the end of the table. There was a moment of silence before Vanya spoke again.

“This evening we have guests, the Doctor and Jamie,” she said. “They will be staying here tonight. Now, please, help yourselves.”

Dinner was quiet at first, and Jamie certainly didn’t bother to try conversation. His mind was too occupied with Zoe. With what he had seen, he knew there were many ways she could have got here, but he couldn’t think of why. Perhaps it had something to do with this shadowy CIA? The most obvious thing to do would be to tell the Doctor, and Jamie knew that he would want to know, but that was the one thing that Zoe had asked him not to do. And he had given his word.

He tried to push these thoughts to one side as he ate, enjoying the tender meat and well-cooked vegetables. Around the table, he could see other people were quietly conversing.

At the far end of the table Steven, Katie and a young man with sandy-coloured haired were talking about the wolf attacks in the nearby village. Doctor Hamilton, sitting next to Jamie appeared to be listening, though only occasionally interjecting a comment.

Opposite Jamie sat Robert, Vanya’s other son, who was deep in conversation with Paul, whilst next to him the Doctor spoke enthusiastically with their hostess.

“I must say,” the Doctor said, piercing a piece of carrot with his fork. “Some of these paintings are very impressive.”

“Family heirlooms, Doctor. I’m afraid I don’t share your enthusiasm for them.”

“Aye,” said Jamie. “It’s like they’re watching you.”

Vanya laughed softly, a smile appearing on her face. “Indeed, though some might be comforted by their ancestor’s watching over them.”

“So they’re family portraits?”

“Yes, Doctor. The most recent is the one behind me: my grandmother.”

Jamie looked up to see a portrait of an attractive woman approaching middle age, ordinary enough save for the startling green eyes. It was a feature that Jamie quickly pointed out his discomfort with.

“Ah, a conceit of the artist, I believe. I’ve never seen anyone with that colour of eyes and I doubt I ever will. I suppose the artist thought he was adding to my grandmother’s mystique,” said Vanya.

“How so?” asked the Doctor, scooping some more vegetables onto his plate.

“She was a mystic. Able to read minds and see the future,” said Vanya smiling, and when she caught Jamie’s look of fright, she said, “There’s no need to look so worried, young man, it was superstitious nonsense, nothing more.”

“Aye, I know that,” he said, feeling a little foolish.

“You’re Scottish, aren’t you?” asked Vanya as she cut a slice of beef.

“I lived here all my life, until I met the Doctor, anyway,” Jamie told her. He began chewing on another forkful of vegetables.

“And how long have you been here, Vanya?” asked the Doctor.

“A few years,” she told him. “I was born in Russia, but it got a little cold,” she said with a smile.

“Well, the weather in the British Isle is hardly renowned for its warmth,” the Doctor pointed out.

“You compare it with Siberia and then tell me it’s not warm,” replied Vanya.

Jamie continued to listen as they two became embroiled in a discussion of Russian culture, somehow managing to disagree about he effectiveness of an author named ‘Tolstoy’. It was not a name Jamie was familiar with, and though he could now read, he’d not had the opportunity to tackle more than a few novels and those had been ones that Victoria had enjoyed.

He allowed a few more minutes for the sake of politeness before excusing himself from the table, and quickly making his way to his room, eager to find out what Zoe had to say. If there was something that the Doctor was hiding from him, he had to find out what it was.


	4. Chapter 4

Presently, the Doctor realised that he was alone with his hostess, the other guests anf family having departed, leaving behind a table of empty plates.

“Well, that was an excellent meal,” declared the Doctor as he set his knife and fork down on his plate. “It’s not often we’re met with such hospitality.”

“You travel a lot then, Doctor?” asked Vanya.

“A great deal,” he replied, managing to make his life sound entirely uninteresting in three syllables.

“Tell me, what were you and your friend doing on the moors this evening.”

“Enjoying a pleasant stroll,” said the Doctor without missing a beat. It seemed she had been remarkably good at covering his suspicion earlier, or perhaps it had simply been unimportant. Regardless, he had no intention of encouraging it.

“I see.” It seemed she wasn’t going to accept an innocent explanation. The Doctor decided that a direct approach would be best.

“Is there any particular reason you don’t believe me?” he asked.

Vanya shrugged. “No particular reason, no. I just don’t like coincidences, they’ve caused problems before.”

“I prefer to have healthy belief in luck,” said the Doctor, but what he was thinking of was the CIA. Holiday, indeed. They had put the TARDIS down in the right spot to hear that scream and they knew that he would have to investigate.

“Good or bad?”

“I seem to attract both,” he replied, smiling. Direct approach, he reminded himself. “For instance I wouldn’t consider stumbling into a pack of lycanthropes lucky.”

Vanya’s face went white.

“What did you say?” she hissed.

“Ah.”

His hostess leaned back in her chair, closing her eyes. “You didn’t know,” she muttered.

“But you just confirmed my suspicions.”

After a moment, Vanya opened her eyes. “I didn’t even think...when you brought George in...” she shook her head. “Are you hunting us?”

“This would be a remarkably stupid way of going about it,” the Doctor said.

She smiled. “Of course, you’re right. But I should have been more careful of strangers.”

“There isn’t any need to worry. We really did come here be accident.”

“And yet I know of few humans alive who would be able to recognise us so quickly. You did that on remarkably few clues.”

“Mr Burns refused to shoot the wolf that attacked us.”

“Compassion for animals.”

“And seemed to suggest it was not a wolf that attacked your son...”

“Hardly conclusive.”

“Your grandmother’s painting is over two hundred years old,” continued the Doctor glancing up at the green eyes.

“You have an eye for art, Doctor.”

“And when I found your son he had not fully reverted to his human form.”

“Ah...” she paused. “And still you helped him?”

“You seem surprised.”

“Very much so, Doctor. In my experience humans tend to be a great deal more fearful, and wary of preserving their own lives.” Oh, and that he knew a great deal about, though he had no intention of launching into a lecture. Still, his hostess seemed to forget that she too was essentially human. “May I assume you have met my people before?” she asked.

“Some truth to every myth, but no, I haven’t.”

“Even so this reaction is not one I would expect...from a human,” said Vanya carefully.

The Doctor smiled, and said, “I’m not human.”

“We noticed your scent was different. Where are you from?”

“Oh, here and there.”

“That’s hardly helpful, Doctor.”

“I’m not a native to this world,” he told her, honesty being the best policy, he supposed. Usually, anyway.

Vanya laughed, a soft sound. “Don’t be ridiculous.”

“Any more ridiculous than being a werewolf?”

She shook her head. “Doctor, I’m sorry, but I don’t believe in aliens.”

“This world has been invaded dozens of times. And yet still humans insist on deluding themselves.”

“I am not human,” she snapped, her voice cold.

“You were born a lycanthrope?” asked the Doctor, curious.

“Yes, Doctor. None of us here were changed. My family lived in this land for generations, till hunting of the grey wolf drove us out.”

“And you came back with the reintroduction of the wolves?”

Vanya nodded. “We have been waiting centuries to return home.”

“What an extraordinary lifespan.”

“Not personally, Doctor. I am no older than I appear.”

“So it was one of you that attacked your son,” he said, because, of course, the animal that had nearly attacked them on the moors was no wolf, but a lycanthrope in its animal form.

Vanya’s face fell and she stood up, glancing at the window. It was pitch black outside now, darkness clawing at the window. Her hands grasped the sill and she stared out.

“My daughter, Doctor. She is...I do not know. She is ill, Doctor. A madness gripped her, a paranoia. Dr Hamilton kept her confined to her room, but she escaped. We know she’s been living in the forest, attacking the village when she could, then moving onto lone travellers when they became wary. It is a terrible thing to hunt your own family, Doctor, but I’ve had no choice. If she is killed by the authorities or a human hunter, I will have lost a daughter, but if she is captured, then we are all at risk.”

“And George?”

“Loves his sister. He believed he could talk to her. You saw what happened.”

“I’m sorry. If there was any way I could help...”

“You already have, Doctor. And here is really nothing else you can do.”

+++

Together, the Doctor and Vanya walked through the corridors of the bungalow, heading towards the west side of the house.

“Would it be possible to see Dr Hamilton’s notes?” he asked her.

“Perhaps. But you told Paul you were not a doctor of medicine. What use would they be?” asked his hostess.

“Well, I am a man of science. And I do have a great deal of experience.”

“Very well, Doctor, I’ll speak to her in the morning.”

“Is she...?” But he didn’t have to finish the question, and felt it was somewhat rude to ask anyway.

“Yes, and she works at the health centre in Cairbrande, that’s the closest village,” Vanya told him.

“Treating humans?”

“Indeed. Most of us integrate into human society in some way. Some walk alone, others attach themselves to families.”

“Packs?”

“I don’t care for the word, Doctor. Ah, this is your friend’s room, I believe.”

“I should check on him,” the Doctor said, pushing open the door. A gust of cold wind blew into the corridor as he entered. The bed was unmade, clearly someone had been resting there, but it was now empty and the window was open. There was more than enough room for someone to climb out, and it was only a foot or two to the ground.

The Doctor leaned out the open window and looked round, but could see no sign of Jamie.

“Why would he do this?” asked Vanya, joining the Doctor at the window.

“He didn’t know what the danger was,” the Doctor told her. “And even if he did, it wouldn’t stop him, not if he had a reason to go outside.”

“But what, Doctor? I do not understand. If he wished to leave why use the window? He was not a prisoner, we would have warned him, but not stopped him.”

“I rather think it was me he was avoiding,” the Doctor told her.

“Oh?”

“Well, it is a fact that he does tend to wander off.”

“You disapprove of this?”

“I don’t want him hurt.”

“Fresh meat wandering the moor. My daughter sometimes watches the house at night, we’ve seen her though never caught her. And if she’s seen him...”

The Doctor nodded, scanning the horizon once more. As he looked out, a wolf’s cry could be heard, echoing across the cliffs.


	5. Chapter 5

“He definitely left this way?” asked the Doctor.

“His scent is quite clear.”

“Could you follow it?”

“I could,” she told him slowly.

“Is there something wrong?”

“I don’t want to be forced into a confrontation with my daughter, Doctor,” said Vanya.

“A confrontation! Jamie’s out there! He could be torn to pieces and you’re worried about having another argument,” exclaimed the Doctor. “Well, if you won’t go, I will,” he told her and began to climb out the window.

Vanya put her hand on his shoulder. “Doctor, wait. I apologise, of course I will help.”

“Thank you.”

“I must wake Paul, and we will need torches.”

+++

It was cool outside; the air was sharp and smelled of the sea. Zoe was quiet now, as she had been for some time, still her small hand held his own as she led him along the shoreline. He could hear the waves below, smashing into the cliff face. Once he stopped to peer over the fence along the cliff edge, unable to see anything but loving the feel of the sea breeze on his face. He had only enjoyed the sensation for a few moments though as Zoe had hurried them onwards, telling him time was of the essence.

“Where are we going?” he asked, stopping again. The tug of her small hand was insistent, but he was by far the stronger, and he was only going to allow her to lead him so far before demanding some sort of answer.

“Don’t you trust me?” she asked, her dark eyes looking up at him. He could just make out the expression on her face, the slight creasing of brows showing she was hurt.

“Course I do,” he replied because there was nothing else that he could say. Still, he felt uneasy not knowing where they were going, and, more importantly, why they had to get out of the house. She seemed so very wary of the Doctor; perhaps that’s why they were hurrying. Jamie knew that as soon as the Doctor found out he was missing, he would try to find him.

“Then we must keep going, Jamie,” Zoe told him.

“Aye, but where? Am no taking another step till you tell me,” insisted Jamie, pulling his hand away from hers.

“Not another step?” she asked.

“No.”

And then everything went black.

+++

The Doctor met Vanya and Paul, wearing a bathrobe, outside the house. They were both carrying torches and Paul passed his to the Doctor.

“You’ll need this more than I will,” he said with a grin. “The scent goes south-west, down by the cliff walk if he doesn’t change direction.”

“Any sign of Louise?” asked Vanya quietly. Paul shook his head. “Alright, see if you can find the boy, but for pity’s sake, don’t frighten him.”

The Doctor felt as though he was intruding somehow, but he was curious enough not to look away as Paul transformed. He fell forward as his spine and legs shortened, arms, now legs growing stronger. Face lengthening and the Doctor caught a flash of sharp teeth. Paul slipped out of the loose bathrobe, his skin now covered in thick grey fur. He resembled a grey wolf, though none of that species would ever grow quite so large or powerful.

Paul looked up at Vanya with yellow eyes and the Doctor was sure that he nodded before turning away and racing across the ground, leaping the bungalow’s dyke easily.

“Is it always voluntary, the transformation?” asked the Doctor as he and Vanya headed for the more conventional exit of the gate.

“We can change at will, yes,” replied Vanya quietly. She seemed uncomfortable with the subject, but for the moment the Doctor’s curiosity outweighed any other consideration.

“So the moon...?” but he was interrupted by a burst of soft laughter from Vanya.

“Oh no, no, a human myth, Doctor. Certain emotions will make it difficult to resist the change. And the young do not have a fine control (why do you think we live in such an unpopulated area? We cannot risk sending our children to school) but we are in control of ourselves.”

It was a cold night, with a swift wind and rain threatening in dark clouds. The two torches seemed feeble compared to the threat of the dark from every angle.

“How dangerous is this cliff path?” asked the Doctor.

”Safe enough,” Vanya replied. “Even on a night like this. It’s a walk for the tourists in summer, it doesn’t go right to the cliff edge and, besides, there’s a railing in place.

+++

Black, black, black.

It made no difference whether Jamie kept his eyes open or closed it was all black: a terrifying omnipresence.

“Zoe! Zoe, where are you?” But there was no answer. Oh, and it was cold, so cold. He felt for his dirk. That made him feel better, the secure feel of familiar metal in his hand, even if he could see no enemy to fight.

He moved forward, moved back. He edged around trying to work out where he was. It took a few minutes for him to realise, but some ways seemed safe than others. A little to the left. Yes, yes, that was right. A little further? No, move forward.

Suddenly, Jamie stopped, realising he didn’t know who this guide was. It could be Zoe, he thought, maybe this was part of what she was warning him about.

He needed time to think, but it was getting colder.

+++

They were following a dirt path through the heather at a brisk pace. The Doctor could hear the sea clearly now; they could only be a few minutes away from the shore.

The eerie quietness of the night was broken by a howl, easily piercing the silence around them.

The Doctor looked at Vanya and could see, even in the poor torchlight, that she had paled.

“Paul?” he asked.

“No,” she shook her head. “That was Louise. She’s hunting.”

“You’re afraid,” commented the Doctor.

“I don’t want to hurt my daughter.”

“She would attack you?” he asked.

“I...don’t know. She has harmed so many people in the past few weeks, Doctor. I didn’t think she could...there was a hunting party in the woods. The indigenous wolf population are grey (like Paul) but my family is black. They knew the wolf they were searching for and yet somehow...somehow she drove them off. Injured two of them. The village set a curfew and watch if it came back to the streets, but decided it was more trouble than it was worth to go hunting for her.”

“You sound almost proud.”

She smiled, a small, reluctant smile. “She is a better hunter than I, Doctor, of course I am. But I can never condone her actions. Look, down there, that’s where your friend has gone.” She pointed, and ahead of them the Doctor could see the hill sloping down into the top of the cliff, and if he angled his torch to a narrow beam, he could see the railing guarding the path.

They picked up the pace of their walk, till they were almost jogging, until they reached the cliff path. Here the Doctor took hold of the railing and shook it. It seemed secure enough, still as they followed the path, he kept hold of the railing. There was still no sign of Jamie.

“Paul should have found him by now,” muttered Vanya.

“He can move very quickly when he wants to,” said the Doctor.

“So can we.”

+++

“Jamie, Jamie, help me!”

Zoe, of course, but her voice seemed to echo around him, and inside his head. There was no way to pinpoint where she was.

The cry of a wolf distracted him, and he spun round. Yes, it was clear enough, but he could not see. Still, he crouched, dirk in hand, ready to pounce.

+++

The grey wolf stood watching a good distance from the humanoid silhouette. It could only be Jamie, and the Doctor threw caution and sense of balance to the wind and pelted down the path to where Paul waited.

Paul whipped around and barked a warning. Able to understand the sentiment, if not the meaning, the Doctor slowed, watching his companion. He was quite still, though on the wrong side of the fence. Face white, eyes staring out to sea.

“Jamie, Jamie!” he shouted but there was no response. He heard Vanya breathing sharply as she caught up with him.

“What is he doing?” she asked.

“I don’t know...but he can’t see us, and I doubt he can hear us,” said the Doctor.

The Doctor edged forward, but Paul growled a warning, and the Doctor could see Jamie inch forward, towards the edge of the cliff, ever so slowly. He stopped immediately.

“It’s like he’s possessed,” murmured Vanya.

“Jamie! Jamie! Listen to me! It’s the Doctor. You’re in danger, Jamie! You must listen! You must step away from the cliff, Jamie! It’s in front of you. You must step back, step wait from it, Jamie! Step away! Listen to my voice, and follow it!”

+++

Murmurings, faint and distant reached Jamie’s ears. Oh, it was dark, so very dark and so very cold.

And it wasn’t Zoe who was speaking, she was trying to, he could hear her pleas, but the were fading fast.

“Doctor!” he called uncertainly.

“Yes, Jamie, I’m here. You have to step back from the cliff. Step back, Jamie.”

There was no one he trusted more in the universe than the Doctor; Jamie stepped backwards. He blinked, he felt as though he was falling and suddenly there was solid ground beneath his feet again. Dizzy, uncertain and almost nauseous, he fell forward.

“Jamie!” A cry of concern and a moment later the Doctor was next to him. Checking his pulse, his breathing. “Yes, you’re going to be fine,” said his friend and he could tell he was smiling.

“What happened, Doctor?” he asked, sitting up, still feeling groggy. “What happened to Zoe?”

The Doctor frowned. “She’s back on the Wheel, Jamie. You know that.”

“No, she was here, she was...” He threw up on the sparse grass in front of him.

When he stood up, the Doctor was looking out at sea, pretending that he hadn’t noticed. And though Jamie knew something had occurred, something that he didn’t understand, he was still embarrassed, and his mouth was still bitter and tasted of acid.

“Do you feel up to walking back to the house?” asked the Doctor quietly.

“Aye, I’ll be fine,” said Jamie, noticing for the first time Vanya, and the wolf sitting next to her. “Doctor, look out!”

“It’s alright, Jamie,” he said, putting a calming hand on his friend’s arm. “I’ll explain on the way back.”

“I’m glad we found you,” said Vanya as the Doctor and Jamie joined them. “But why did you leave?”

Jamie shook his head. “I’m no sure, I...I need to talk to the Doctor.” It looked like the woman and wolf exchanged glances, and Jamie looked at the Doctor, confused.

“Well, I’ll have some supper made for you when...” she paused and spun round. Jamie could see nothing, but the wolf had also turned and he could hear it growling - a low, threatening noise - as it stared up the cliff. “Go back to the house, both of you please,” she said quietly, passing her torch to Jamie. “You know the way.”

There was something further up the cliff. Jamie could see a shape moving in the dark. Back and forth, pacing, watching them.

He was so distracted watching the creature that he almost didn’t notice what happened to Vanya. When he glanced back at her, her appearance was so altered, he could not help but gasp. She was somewhere between woman and beast, still standing but the face was that of a wolf, the teeth sharp, the eyes yellow. Moments later the transformation was complete, and a black-haired wolf leapt up the cliff, bounding after the other animal, which Jamie could no longer catch sight of.

A moment later, the grey wolf followed.

“Let’s get back to the house, shall we, Jamie?” said the Doctor.

“Aye,” Jamie said to him. “But you’d better explain what’s going on.”


	6. Chapter 6

“Werewolves!” exclaimed Jamie as the bungalow came into view. “I suppose you’re gonna tell me they’re harmless.”

“Ah, well, no, not exactly,” the Doctor told him. “They’re quite dangerous, in their way, but friendly enough it seems.”

“Aye, but no this one out on the moors.”

“No, no. I do hope they find her. She seems to be causing quite a bit of harm.”

“But that still doesn’t explain...” he hesitated. He was finding it difficult to talk about what he had seen, and heard, and even felt on the moor. It wasn’t just that thinking of Zoe brought an uncomfortable feeling in the pit of his stomach; he was finding it difficult to focus on the memories, so as soon as he meant to talk of them he frowned, uncertain of what he wanted to say. “It doesn’t explain Zoe,” he finally managed.

“No, it doesn’t. You saw her?”

“Aye, she was there, and earlier in my room.”

“It was a hallucination.”

“She was there, Doctor! I know what I saw, I touched her and she was there.”

“It must have seemed very real,” said the Doctor with a touch of exasperation. “But it wasn't. If not for the fact that Zoe is several hundred years in the future, returned to her own people, none of the lycanthropes detected any scent but yours.”

“Now I take a bath every...”

“Jamie, that is not the point,” interrupted the Doctor. “Ah, your night excursions seem to have woken the household.”

Jamie followed the Doctor’s glance to see that a light in the bungalow were now on, and he could hear the buzz of conversation. Sound carried easily in the quiet night, but it was not enough for him to make out the words said.

“I suppose we’d better tell them where the other two got too,” said Jamie.

Presently they arrived in the foyer of the bungalow and found that the house had fallen silent. The Doctor looked from one corridor to the other, and chose the one that did not lead to their rooms. Jamie followed as the Doctor ignored several closed doors and finally stopped at the end of the corridor, facing another closed door.

“I see you’ve done your exploring,” said Jamie.

“Quiet now.” The Doctor pressed his ear to the door and frowned. Jamie could hear nothing and he suspected that neither could the Doctor as he straightened up a moment later. He pressed down on the door handle and seemed surprised to find the door unlocked. The Doctor turned to him. “You stay here,” he said and stepped into the room.

“Aye, right,” muttered Jamie and followed him in.

The light was on and the single bed in the corner was occupied. The drawn curtains had a bright, garish pattern and the room was scattered with toys.

The Doctor knelt down by the boy sleeping in the bed. “He’s not breathing. Jamie, find Doctor Hamilton and tell her to come to George’s room at once.”

“What happened?”

“Now, Jamie! And quickly!”

Jamie raced from the room, shouting down in the corridor in the hope of creating enough noise to attract some attention.

The Doctor checked the boy’s heart rate.

“You’re up late.”

The Doctor glanced over his shoulder to see George’s brother, Robert, standing behind the door.

“Help me,” said the Doctor.

“No.”

The tone more than the word caused the Doctor to whirl around, almost raising his hands protectively. “This is your brother,” he said.

“He’s dying.” The boy stepped forward, closing the door and standing in front of it. “I almost had him before, but you and your friend interfered, and now you do so again. You are not of our pack, or clan, or even our race. It is not of your concern and yet you interfere. I’ll have no qualms about taking your life too.”

And then the boy’s eyes turned a startling emerald green.

It was black.

“I deny this.”

The Doctor’s voice was strong and clear and certain. Unlike Jamie, he recognised this as a trick, and would fight it from the beginning. He did not understand precisely what Robert had done, but guessed this to be some sort of reality that the boy had willed into creation on the astral plane, where thoughts alone defined existence.

“I don’t care,” said Robert. The voice was all around him, echoing and screaming into all angles of the black. He was startled by the strength of it. The scream drew on and transformed until it was the long guttural cry of an animal: a wolf.

Out of the darkness the dark shape of a beast sprang at the Doctor, its teeth bared.

+++

“Doctor Hamilton!” shouted Jamie again.

“Will you cease making that racket!” she snapped, appearing around a corner dressed in pyjamas and a scarlet dressing gown. “Gracious, what on Earth is the matter with you?”

“George, he’s stopped breathing, the Doctor said...”

But Hamilton was already running. She raced through the house, followed by Jamie.

“How long?” she asked over her shoulder.

“A few minutes,” replied Jamie. “I came to look for you as soon as we found him, the Doctor stayed with him.”

Presently, they reached George’s room, and while Hamilton ignored the rather odd site of the Doctor and Robert staring at one another to reach George, Jamie did not.

He stepped up to the Doctor. “Can you hear me?” he said, waving one hand in front of his eyes. The Doctor didn’t blink.

+++

The Doctor was running through a forest. It wasn’t the most imaginative of forests but it was the best that he could do under the circumstances. He caught his arm on a branch and snagged one the leaves, taking the opportunity to examine his handy work. A moment later he threw the leaf away in disgust. It was like a piece of cardboard, roughly shaped and not quite the right colour, really he needed to exercise a little more delicacy when resorting to his imagination.

Robert had been easy to elude, he had a lot of raw power but was unused to the subtleties of the mental landscape. The Doctor knew, however, that if he let the boy get another clear path to him he could deliver a serious blow to him. Keeping out of his way was the best solution until he could find a way out. He hoped that Jamie had found Hamilton and that the other boy would be all right.

Changing tactics slightly, he halted his stealthy run though the forest and found a tree sturdy enough that he could climb its branches. If Robert wanted to kill him, he’d have to revert to human form, or find a way to bring the tree down, thought the Doctor as he began his ascent.

+++

“I’ve managed to get him breathing again,” said Doctor Hamilton with some relief. She sat back on her heels and examined her young patient for any other signs of injury. Finding none, she stood up and turned to Jamie. “Though I’ll have to wait until he wakes to see if any real harm has been done.”

“Aye, but what’s wrong with this pair?” asked Jamie.

Hamilton stepped between Robert and the Doctor looking from one to the other. She stared at Robert’s bright green eyes and frowned. “I’d hate to guess,” she muttered. “It’s out of my field entirely. Where’s Vanya?”

“She’s out searching for her daughter, with Paul.”

“I see. Look, Jamie, I don’t understand what’s happening between these two. I don’t want to leave you here alone...”

“I’ll be fine.”

She looked at him for a long moment, before nodding. “All right, I’ll find Vanya. I’ll be as quick as I can.” She left the room and Jamie was vaguely glad that he hadn’t had to watch her turn into a wolf; the idea unsettled him more that he really wanted to admit.

+++

The Doctor was nestled safely in the branches of the tree and had cleared a few leaves away so he could see the ground. Not that he really needed to, the woodland was dense enough the he should be able to hear any large mammal coming in his direction long before he saw it.

Hearing nothing, he closed his eyes, concentrating.

He was real. This tree was an illusion This forest was an illusion This darkness was an illusion There were no sounds here There was no matter here This was his mind His own mind He was safe here Illusion. Real. Alone

+++

“Do stop waving those great paws of yours in my face,” snapped the Doctor as he opened his eyes and saw Jamie anxiously staring at him. “Now let me see.” He stepped forward, eyes fixed on Robert, still catatonic. “Yes, not very refined control at all. It seems he’s still in there.” The Doctor stepped closer and Robert sprang to life, wrapping strong hands around the Doctor’s throat.

The Doctor barely had time to emit a strangled cry for help before Jamie was on top of Robert, knocking him away from the Doctor with a series of solid punches. The boy fell to the floor and the Doctor pulled Jamie away from him.

Robert stood up, his eyes darker now, but still distinctly green, has face was flushed and his fists clenched. “You’ll pay for that. I may not have been able to harm whatever you are, but I know how weak you are, human.”

“Jamie, get back,” cried the Doctor as Robert fixed his eyes on him. The Doctor stepped in front of his companion, shielding him from Robert’s gaze.

“You’ll not protect him like that,” said Robert, falling forward, the shape of his spine changing.

“Run, get out of here!” said the Doctor.

“I can’t leave you here,” said Jamie, but he saw that the Doctor was busy picking up George.

“No need for that,” said the Doctor. “Come on!”

They both raced out the door, hearing a low growl from Robert as they sprinted for the foyer. The Doctor spun round, looking for an exit and choosing one with a door. He nodded towards it. “In there,” he said to Jamie as he took a look over his shoulder. The dark shape of a wolf was leaping down the corridor.

He ran through the open door and used his shoulder to slam it shut. “Is there a lock?” he asked, depositing the boy gently on the floor. The room seemed to be some sort of office: there was a desk in the far corner and a telephone and bookcase sat by the door.

“I don’t see one,” said Jamie, before slamming himself up against the door as he heard a low growl in the foyer. A moment later the door shuddered as a heavy weight careened into it.

The Doctor joined Jamie by the door as Robert threw himself at the door again.

“D’you think we can hold it?” asked Jamie.

“I hope so, at least until Vanya and the others get back. Check on George, would you? Is he breathing?”

“Can you hold this by yourself?” asked Jamie.

“Now, Jamie, if you please.”

He moved away from the door and knelt by the boy. “Aye, he’s breathing. Feels quite warm too. But there’s nought I can do for him is there?” A feeble cough from George attracted Jamie’s attention.

“George!” said the Doctor. “Can you hear me?”

Gently, Jamie helped the boy sit up as his eyes flickered open. He looked around the room blearily, taking in the sight of the two men who were strangers to him. The Doctor smiled down at him. “Hello there, I’m the Doctor and this is Jamie. I’m afraid we’re in a spot of bother right now. There’s werewolf outside the door and he rather wants to come in.”

The door shuddered again.

George stood up and looked from one to the other. “Mother told me about you,” he said. “Thank you.”

“That’s quite alright,” said the Doctor.

George nodded at the door. “It’s my brother out there, isn’t it?”

“Ah,” the Doctor hesitated. “Yes, I’m afraid so.”

“It’s me he wants to kill,” said the boy. “Let me out, you two can get away.”

“Now hang on a minute,” said Jamie. “We’re not going to leave you to that thing.”

“Thing?” said George, rather primly.

“What Jamie means is that we don’t want anyone to get hurt,” said the Doctor.

“Including us,” added Jamie, nodding.

“Why is your brother trying to...hurt us, George, why is he trying to hurt you?”

“Kill me, you mean,” said George frowning. He rubbed his head, then said, “I went to speak with Louise, my sister. Robert was furious when he found out what I was going to do. Said she was dangerous, and had attacked people in the village, all the same rubbish that Mother had told me. But she wouldn’t hurt me, even if it was true, so I went to see if I could find her, hoping she’d listen and come home. She and Mother have never got along, and I thought that was what had driven her out really. When I reached the boundary of the farm I realised that Robert was following me. He called out to me, told me to come back, that I was a stupid kid. I ignored him, and he got angry, really, really angry. He couldn’t control himself. He ran off once I was down, I think. I didn't know why till I heard Louise's growl nearby. She was protecting me, you know.”

“That was when we found you,” said the Doctor quietly.

“Yeah, I think so. I never did get to speak to Louise and Mother’s barely been letting me out of bed she’s so worried. Thinks I’ll trip on the rug and break my neck or something.”

“But that doesn’t explain why he’s trying to kill you.”

“If I tell you, you can’t tell Mother, she’ll be furious at me, she won’t understand.”

“It’s all right, George, you can tell us,” the Doctor said gently.

The boy took a deep breath, and then said, “He attacked Louise, a few weeks ago, that’s why she left, she was afraid he’d try and finish her of. I saw it, but I didn’t say anything. I couldn’t. It would have been his word against mine, with Louise gone, and he’s the elder. I wanted to find Louise, to tell her to come back and tell Mother what had happened. She and Mother have never really gotten along, but with two of us, she might believe us, and Louise is the eldest anyway. I mean I had too, when I heard about the attacks in the village and Mother thought it was Louise.”

“It was Robert?” asked the Doctor.

“Yes! He’s...he’s...I don’t understand, I know he was angry with Mother, with Louise...with Paul. He used to spend days in his room, and we left food outside the door. And his eyes, his eyes were like grandmother’s...”

Something moved in the blackness outside.

Suddenly, the window shattered, sending shards of glass flying into the room, along with the hulking shape of a black wolf, its teeth bared and its eyes red.


	7. Chapter 7

The sudden appearance of the dark wolf shocked the room into silence, and for a moment nobody moved. Jamie was the first to recover, he reached for his dirk and was about to leap towards the animal when the Doctor grabbed his arm and pulled him back.

He was too late to reach George though. The boy had covered his face as the window shattered, but now he was standing, the look on his face shouting anger.

“It won’t be so easy for you this time,” said George, the end of the sentence dissolving into a snarl as he too transformed, the shape of his spine changing, his jaw lengthening. There was a crackle of snapping bones as he fell forward, hair sprouting out of his skin. He snarled once, and then leapt at his brother.

They rolled across the floor together, a mess of teeth and claws and strangled cries. The Doctor and Jamie watched, horrified, but unable to help either one. The Doctor doubted that either would bother who they hurt at this moment, so intent were they on the kill.

The Doctor’s expression suddenly changed and he leapt out of the room, swiftly followed by Jamie.

“Quickly, quickly!” shouted the Doctor as he headed for the kitchen. He scrabbled around the cupboards for a few moments before retrieving a bucket and filling it with cold water. “See if you can find another!” he called to Jamie as he left the room.

Jamie did as he was told and took his own full bucket back to the foyer. The fighting was still going on, but at least one child now injured. The carpet was stained with specks of bright red blood. As the Doctor saw Jamie approach, he stepped through the open door and threw the water over the wolves. Jamie immediately followed suit, soaking them both again.

They leapt apart, instinctively shaking the water off. One of them turned to the Doctor, a low growl in his throat. The Doctor glanced at Jamie. “When I say run...”

“Aye, I know,” muttered Jamie. The wolf’s back legs contracted.

“Run!” shouted the Doctor as the wolf leapt forward.

They ran for the front door, Jamie opened it and ran through. He felt the Doctor grab his arm as his friend overtook him and began to tug him forwards. The sound of the wolf’s snarls followed them into the black night.

“Now where!” shouted Jamie.

“Keep running!” was the Doctor’s helpful reply, but the sound of a second, lower growl brought them to a sudden standstill.

“There’s more out here,” hissed Jamie.

“Well of course there are,” snapped the Doctor. “But we need to know who it is.” Jamie felt the Doctor move, and wondered if he could see where the animal was. He knew that the Time Lord’s eyesight was far better than his. “Hello!” called the Doctor. “It’s the Doctor and Jamie here. We don’t mean any harm.”

The snarl grew louder and Jamie sensed a rush of movement. He crouched low, ready to defencd himself and the Doctor, but the movement rushed past them. All he felt was a brush of cool fur against his legs.

Torchlight lit them up, and the pair blinked as they saw a figure approach.

“Doctor! Jamie! Are you alright!” It was Vanya. Her clothes were dirty and torn, and she looked as though she had dressed quickly.

“Aye, but George isn’t!” Jamie called back as the woman ran up to them.

“I told Hamilton to get back to the house,” muttered Vanya, eye darting to her home. “Come on.”

They arrived in the foyer to see Hamilton crouched over George, who had not yet reverted to human form. There was a sharp gasp from Vanya and Jamie saw that she had gone white.

“He’s alive,” said Hamilton.

“We didn’t see anyone go back in the house,” said Jamie.

“I took the back window,” Hamilton told him. “There’s no serious injury, but the fact that he was still recovering from the last attack isn't helpful.”

“Can you treat him here?” asked Vanya.

Hamilton nodded. “I should be able to, barring complications. There’s nothing you can do here, best to get some rest.”

“I think a cup of tea might be the best thing,” suggested the Doctor.

“An excellent idea, Doctor,” agreed Vanya.

+++

The Doctor, Jamie and Vanya sat in the dining room, a pot of hot tea sitting in the table beside a jug of milk and a bowl of sugar cubes. The Doctor had just poured tea for all of them and was at this moment adding milk and sugar to his own tea.

Vanya sipped at hers without any additions, resting her head on one hand, she stared across the table. She looked older now, more worn and lines of worry were clearly visible on her forehead. Several times she had looked as though she had been about to speak, but she had remained silent since they had sat down.

“I don’t think the artist exaggerated,” said the Doctor gently.

“I’m sorry?” Vanya woke from her daze, staring at the Doctor. He nodded at the painting above her head.

“Robert’s eyes were the same green when he...influenced me, and Jamie.”

“I don’t understand.” Her voice was very quiet, almost afraid.

“He psychically attacked both Jamie and I. I suspect whatever gifts your grandmother had have been passed onto your son.”

Vanya stared into her tea for a moment, before looking up and meeting the Doctor’s level gaze. “For whatever harm my family has done you, I apologise. You are my guests. This lapse in courtesy is unforgivable.”

“Courtesy!” said Jamie. “He tried to tear us to pieces!”

“I know.” It was a strangled whisper, and Jamie could see she was on the verge of tears. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know. I thought...I thought...”

“You thought your daughter was the dangerous one.”

“We never got along very well. She was...is difficult, headstrong, stubborn. She refuses to accept the point of view of others. She seemed to harbour dangerous ideas of what our position in society should be, and was not afraid to voice them. When the attacks started, I naturally thought that she was acting on her beliefs.”

“Place in society?” asked Jamie. Vanya’s eyes flicked to his, before returning to her tea as she took a sip.

“There is an element of lycanthrope civilisation that does not believe we should see humans as anything other than prey. It is a foolish and outdated idea, but that has never stopped bigotry before.”

“Did you find her?” asked the Doctor.

“We spoke. She is not returning home, but decided that it would be best before she left to inform me about the truth, and her brother’s gifts. Paul is hunting Robert now.” She was silent for a moment. “I have lost a son and a daughter tonight.”

“I’m sorry,” said the Doctor, leaning forward and touching her gently on the arm. She clasped his hand and shook her head.

“Were it not for you, Doctor, I would have lost George too, and the truth may still have been hidden. I thank you for your help, I only wish you could have been shown greater hospitality here.”

Jamie felt uncomfortable interrupting, but there were things that he needed to know the answer too. “What he did to me,” he began hesitantly. “How did he know all those things? Why was Zoe so real to me?”

“I suppose he read your mind, your memories and called them into being. My clan has been without a mystic for many years, and I am not schooled in their ways. My mother told me of my grandmother though, of how she could see into your soul and cast out the demons within, or call them into being. If I had known what to look for...but I thought the gift lost. It had skipped two generations after all.” Her fingers were clasped round her teacup, her eyes staring at the tea. “That is the limit of my knowledge, save for anecdotal tales, and I’m afraid they would be of little use to you. Perhaps I could direct you towards one who still practices the art?”

Jamie was about to reply, but the Doctor jumped in first.

“That’s alright,” he said. “Jamie will be fine, and we really should be leaving soon.”

“Doctor, it’s the middle of the night!” protested Jamie.

“I meant in the morning. An early start for us, I think.”

“Of course. I understand. I’ll make sure there is an early breakfast ready for you. I wish you a good night’s sleep.”

+++

Jamie and the Doctor walked back to their rooms unescorted. The excitement of the night’s events had worn off on Jamie and he felt very tired, and ready to collapse into a deep sleep. He wasn’t looking forward to having to wake early in the morning and doubted that he’d get much rest once they got back to the TARDIS.

“Will they be all right?” he asked.

“Eventually,” the Doctor replied. “Some time, and perhaps a chance to talk will do some good, I think. The same with many families, so I’m told.”

They stopped outside Jamie’s door. “This wasn’t a holiday, was it Doctor?”

“I doubt that very much.”

“Why did they send us here?”

The Doctor looked skywards and sighed before replying. “I don’t know, I suppose they couldn’t risk humanity finding out about the lycanthropes, and they thought we could do some good here.”

“I don’t feel so great.”

“Neither do I, Jamie. Get some sleep, we’ll be on our way in the morning.”

He nodded goodnight, and turned towards his own room, hoping that they’d both feel better after a few hours sleep.


	8. Chapter 8

Cool sunlight woke Jamie. He sat up, immediately awake, but wishing he could turn over and fall back into the comfort of sleep. If the Doctor wasn’t up yet, he would be soon, and he’d be coming to wake him too.

Jamie jumped out of bed and dressed quickly, splashing some cold water on his face. He glanced out of the window and saw that it was a bright morning. A swift wind moved across the heather and he imagined that he could hear the sea in the distance. Despite the events of last night, he would be sorry to leave, but the Doctor seemed insistent.

He strolled along to the dining room to find that the table had already been set. He sat down and helped himself to butter and a bread roll. The scent of cooked meat reached him from the kitchen, so the cook, at least, was about. It wasn’t like the Doctor to sleep in though.

He took a bite out of the buttered roll and looked up at the painting of Vanya’s grandmother, staring at those emerald green eyes, and shuddered.

There were voices outside the door, and Jamie recognised one as being the Doctor’s. The door opened and he walked in, looking far too bright and cheery for this early hour.

“Looks like you got plenty of sleep then,” said Jamie around his mouth full bread.

“Looks like you’ve already started breakfast,” retorted the Doctor. “Keep eating at the speed and you’ll get indigestion.”

“Who were you talking to?”

The cook burst through the kitchen doors carrying a platter of cooked food, and the Doctor took the opportunity to ignore the question.

“Eat up!” he said enthusiastically, “I doubt we’ll be eating like this again for a while.”

They said good morning to the cook and thanked him as he returned to the kitchen. Jamie set about loading his plate while the Doctor poured himself a cup of tea and nibbled at a bread roll.

“Well?” insisted Jamie, after he had spent a few minutes eating. “Who was out there?”

“Ah, well, Paul returned about an hour ago. He had Robert with him. Vanya wanted to assure me that they’d make sure he didn’t get a chance to hurt anyone else.”

Jamie’s good mood dissipated. “Aye, I see.”

“He’s being kept separated from the rest of the household. Vanya mentioned some sort of council amongst the clans used to judge cases like this. I think it’s best we leave them too it.”

“So that’s the reason for the good mood then? No more crazy werewolves running about the moors?”

“Jamie! And no, no, you see, Louise came back too, it seems Paul convinced her to speak with her mother.”

“So we’re still leaving?”

The Doctor gave him a severe look. “Yes, we are. So hurry up and finish your breakfast.”

+++

Paul had offered to give the Doctor and Jamie a lift back to the edge of the farm, but the Doctor had refused telling him that the walk would do them good. Jamie was grateful for that, a few hours peaceful walking wasn’t much of a break, but he’d take it, especially if it was here, with the sharp scents and cool winds of the Scottish moor land all around him.

They left the dining room and found Vanya waiting in the foyer. She stood up as they arrived, putting her book to one side.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t join you for breakfast,” she said. “I’ve had some things to do.”

“Of course,” said the Doctor, and she led them outside.

As Jamie closed the front door behind him, he thought he could hear the scratching of a claw against wood, and the low growl of a wolf echoing from somewhere within the house.

Outside, Jamie saw two figures sitting on the dyke, which surrounded the house, on the side that faced out to the sea that was visible in the distance if the day was clear enough.

“George! Louise!” called Vanya, and the figures jumped up, and ran across the garden together. George was pale, but smiling. The other was a young girl in her mid-teens with long brown hair.

“Hello,” she said. Her voice was soft, almost shy.

“You must be Louise,” said the Doctor.

"That’s right, and I know who you are.” She turned. “You wanted to shoot me when we met,” she said looking to Jamie, her tone suddenly sharp.

“Aye, well, now, that’s...”

The girl burst out laughing. “Sorry,” she said, and then glanced at Vanya. “Sorry, mother.”

“I wish you a safe journey,” she said to the Doctor and Jamie. “And thank you. Thank you both. You would be welcome here were you to pass this way again.”

"We'll keep it in mind," said the Doctor, shaking her hand.

The children said their goodbyes too and the pair, with final directions on the route they should take from Vanya, began the long walk back to the TARDIS.


End file.
